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A growing body of research and experience suggest that individuals possessing personal resilience are more likely to overcome career roadblocks.

When a scientist is confronted with a colleague who is struggling with personal problems, there are no easy answers.

Everyone feels a bit nervous from time to time, and a little anxiety can improve performance -- but excessive anxiety can be disabling and derail careers.

On returning to work, new mothers can minimize stress and maximize productivity by adapting to their new and different circumstances.

Dropping off an infant at daycare is very stressful for new mothers returning to work.

Workplace gossip may have its positive effects, but it needs to be handled with care.

Working longer hours doesn't necessarily mean getting more done.

September brings inevitable but manageable stress for scientists in academia.

Small chunks of dedicated time can help relieve the stress endemic in scientific lives.

Work-related stress is an insidious health hazard, especially for workers who, like scientists, take their work very seriously.

If your supervisor expects everyone to be on deck all day, make the case that a brief respite to recharge your batteries will benefit both you and the laboratory.

"No one is perfect, ... that's why pencils have erasers." --Author Unknown

"Go through the work in progress and come to an agreement about which parts of it are nearly complete and which parts may be completed by others." --Frederick Maxfield.

"Laughter is highly relevant to scientific inquiry because it creates a safe and playful atmosphere for intellectual development." --David Sloan Wilson

"Friendships and work relationships have different social norms, and workplace friendships are fraught with fragility and ambiguity," says organizational psychologist Rachel Morrison.

The trouble is that if you start off without much space, your ability to produce good science is seriously compromised.

The challenges are both logistical and emotional, and if training and productivity are compromised, scientific careers can be derailed.

"Those who succeed are well-grounded people who have seen success and believe they can do it too. They are not the type of people who worry too much or are easily intimidated," says Virginia Tech professor Michael Hochella.

The challenges of scientific career advancement can be especially daunting for women, foreign trainees, racial and ethnic minorities, and first-generation college students; mentorship can help bridge this gap.

By making concessions to her supervisors and by working hard to keep her own frustrations in check, Barbara was ultimately able to complete her doctorate.